England and the Celtic Fringe Europe at the Edges

The Celtic Heritage of Europe History of Celts goes back 25 centuries Occupied land in modern day Southern and Eastern Europe: Greece, Spain, Northern Italy; and Western Europe: England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. Classical image of Celts as barbaric, dressed in animal skins in primitive villages, people who worshipped strange deities and whose lives were consumed in blood feuds

Classical view of Celts “human sacrifices have been reported as well: some men they would shoot dead with arrows and impale in the temples; or they would construct a huge figure of straw and wood, and having thrown cattle and all manner of wild animals and humans into it, they would make a burnt offering of the whole thing” (Strabo, Geography trans. by Benjamin Fortson, in Koch and Carey 1995, 18).

The Celtic Heritage of Europe History of Celts goes back 25 centuries Occupied land in modern day Southern and Eastern Europe: Greece, Spain, Northern Italy; and Western Europe: England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. In Wales, Scotland, Ireland, the Isle of Man, Cornwall and Brittany, Celtic culture has survived and we still regard ourselves as Celts today. Classical image of Celts as barbaric, dressed in animal skins in primitive villages, people who worshipped strange deities and whose lives were consumed in blood feuds Reality obscured by Romantic notions: noble savage Far more advanced: Pagan Religion; written language; art, metal work, Ogham (alphabet of Celts)

Survival of Celtic Culture Celtic Europe was taken over by Romans and later Anglo Saxons. By 6 th Century, Celts were forced back to the highland regions of western Europe There that Celtic identity has persisted Survived invasions and imperialism Christianity and the Reformation Modernity and Nationalism Celtic nationalism: Scotland; Ireland; Wales; Cornwall & the Isle of Man (England); Brittany (France)

Celtic Identity and Devolution In a 1997 poll, people in Scotland were asked whether they felt they were Scottish or British. They answered as follows: Belief that they were Scottish – 28% Belief that they were more Scottish than British – 35% Belief that they were equally British and Scottish – 29% Belief that they were more British than Scottish – 3% Belief that they were British and not Scottish – 3% No thoughts on the issue – 2%

Celtic Identity and Devolution Ireland independent of England since 1922 Scotland has its own parliament since 1999 Wales its own assembly since 1999 Brittany Independence Movement